Abstract
By means of a dye dilution method using Indocyanine green as an indicator, measurements of splenic blood flow and circulation time were carried out on control and ischemic spleens in the dog and on spleens of clinical cases of Banti''s syndrome. Splenic blood volume, vascular resistance and O2 consumption were calculated from the splenic blood flow and circulation time. Blood flow of the ischemic spleen of the dog was increased, compared to the control. In human subjects, total control splenic blood flow was approximately 300 ml/min. It was markedly increased in all cases of Banti''s syndrome. Splenic blood flow/gm tissue, however, was decreased in this syndrome. Concerning the splenic blood volume, resistance and circulation time, there were obvious differences between the control and diseased spleens. Total O2 consumption of the Banti spleen was 3-6 times greater than that of the control. Oxygen con-sumption/gm tissue, however, was markedly decreased. The splenic tissue in Banti''s syndrome was probably in a hypoxic state, which might play a role in the pathogenesis of this syndrome.